This invention pertains generally to guidance systems and more particularly to a guidance system for artillery-fired projectiles and missiles.
Artillery or gun systems have been and will continue to be a major component of both ground and naval weapon systems. Shipboard gun systems provide for any of the following missions: e limited the effectiveness of such systems in the aforementioned missions. Fire control refinements, such as radar controlled guns, have been developed, but such gun systems still do not provide the desired level of performance, especially with the advent of advanced threats such an anti-ship missiles.
The effectiveness of gun systems may be greatly improved by providing projectiles in flight with a capability to maneuver to home on a target. A capability to maneuver implies the use of a seeker within the projectile. Because such a seeker must be capable of surviving a "high g" environment when fired from a gun, conventional seekers using inertially stabilized platforms and servomechanisms are not practical. Finally, the production costs of any such projectiles must be minimized because of the large number of such projectiles expected to be used in any tactical situation.